SnowedIn
by WhiteBlankPage
Summary: A snow storm forces Clare to stay the night at Eli's house...


I had gone over to Eli's house after school to work on our English assignment. We were supposed to take characters from one of the books we had read this semester and continue on with the story.

This would have been a seemingly easy project for most people, but with Eli and I working together it was always more complicated. English and writing was something we both loved and cared about, too much sometimes. In fact I hadn't realized how long we had been posted up at his kitchen table with piles of papers, cups of coffee and a bowl of popcorn kernels decorating the table in from of us. Eli's mother came down stairs and into the kitchen to where the two of us sat.

"Clare? she questioned, "I didn't realize you were still here?" I looked at Eli, and then at her, slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, I said, sorry, we just got a little ahead of ourselves in this assignment." I looked back at Eli and smiled, "I guess I better get going." Eli and I began to put the assignment together and into my bag. Mrs. Goldsworthy looked out the window of the kitchen and gasped. We stopped and looked at her.

She paused, looking at us. "Have you two looked outside lately?" Eli and I looked at each other puzzled. It had been snowing slightly when we left school earlier in the afternoon.

Mrs. Goldsworthy shook her head, "There must be close to two feet of snow on the ground, and it doesn't show signs of stopping."

Eli looked at him mom nervously. "Morty doesn't really handle snow well."

His mother looked at him, and then back at me and shook her head. "Clare, why don't you just stay here tonight? I don't feel comfortable with you two going out in this weather."

Eli and I shot a quick glance at each other. My parents would never let me stay at my boyfriend's house. "Well, I don't think my parents would be ok with me staying," I stammered.

Mrs. Goldsworthy shook her hands, dismaying my comment. "Nonsense, she stated, I'll give them a call, and let them know you are safe. I really don't see any other option."

"Ok," I squeaked out to myself.

I noticed Eli was staring at me from the corner of my eye. He had a nervous look on his face. I imagine my own face was mirroring the same expression.

Mrs. Goldsworthy walked over to her son and gave him a kiss on his head. "Well, I'll call your parents then I am going to bed. Don't stay up too late you two." I smiled at her as she walked by me, squeezing my shoulder.

We both watched her walk up the stairs leaving us alone in the quiet room.

Slowly Eli let out one of his charming smirks. "I guess we're having our first sleepover tonight." I smiled back at him, for some reason I was nervous. It wasn't that I didn't want to stay at Eli's house with him, because I did. I had wanted to for awhile. Every time I left him it got harder.

"I guess so," I whispered back.

Eli and I turned off all the lights and went up to his room. I sat down on his bed, while he stood in the middle of the room, and looked around. I was sensing nervousness from him as well.

I realized I didn't have anything with me. No change of clothes, no toothbrush, nothing. I felt very awkward, was I just going to have to sleep in my jeans and sweater?

Eli tore his gaze from mine, pulling a tee-shirt and a pair of sweatpants out of his drawer. He blushed as he handed them to me. "I hope this is going to be alright." I hesitantly took them.

His voice became rushed, "If you want I can go see if my mom has anything you can borrow if that would be more comfortable." He looked away. "I don't really know what you like to sleep in."

I stood up, "This is fine Eli, thanks."

He smiled relieved, back at me.

I went to the bathroom to change, and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked more tired than I felt. For some reason the thought of actually sleeping here had not crossed my mind. I waited a few minutes, making sure I gave Eli enough time to change as well. I didn't want to make this any more awkward than it already was.

I knocked as I walked back in; too see Eli wearing almost the same thing as me. We laughed a little realizing how silly we must have looked, matching. We both laughed a little more than the situation called for, obviously letting the nervousness show through.

Eli looked at his bed, the two of us each standing on either side. He bit his lip. "I can sleep on the couch if you want?" I could tell he was only trying to be polite, and that sleeping on the couch was the last place he wanted to be tonight. I smiled at him and shook my head. "I couldn't kick you out of your own bed," I teased. He smiled slightly.

My tone turned serious, "Besides, it wouldn't be much of a sleep-over if you were in another room."

Eli laughed to himself as the two of us climbed into opposite sides of his bed, pulling the covers up over us. I immediately could feel the warmth of his body next to me, though no parts of us were touching. We sat there in silence for a moment, in the quiet dark of the night, neither of us moving. I could hear his gently breaths and it helped to calm my own.

I heard his body shift, and the warmth of his breath was now on my cheek. I swallowed, and turned to look at him. Our eyes had adjusted to the blackness of his room, and I could make out his beautiful face, inches away from mine. He was staring directly into my eyes, and I felt as if he was looking clear into my soul. It made the blood in my veins flow faster.

A deep sigh left his lips before he spoke with such earnest. "I love you Clare."

I tried to swallow just then but my mouth had run dry.

Eli had never told me he loved me. We had talked about love, and the closeness we felt. But to speak the words like he just did, never. It caught me off guard, and I was glad it was dark so that he could not see me blush, though I was certain he heard me gasp.

He brushed my bangs away from my eyes, and placed a soft gentle kiss upon my lips. The kiss lasted only for a moment, and was nowhere as intense or as passionate as ones we had enjoyed previous, but I felt all three of those beautiful words in that kiss, and that was everything right them. I could only think of one way to respond.

"I love you too Eli."

Before I could even draw in a new breath from his name rolling off my lips I felt his hands around me, pulling me closer to him. He kissed me again, and I quickly kissed him back. Our lips moved in sync, slowly and loving at first and then suddenly hurried and desperate.

I felt an overwhelming sense of emotion in that moment. So many things were happing in such a short time. I was in Eli's clothes, in his bed, in his arms, with those three gorgeous words still lingering on my lips. It was as if each kiss was exclaiming that he loved me again and again.

Quickly Eli moved himself on top of me, and his hands began to roam the parameter of my body. I too allowed my hands to wander over his shoulders and back. I suddenly felt his cool hand against the warmth of my stomach as they began a slow climb up to my chest.

Without thinking I gasped, pulling away from his lips. His movement became stone, as he caught his breath, rolling onto his place in the bed beside me.

"I…I'm sorry," he stammered.

I could still hear the sound of his breath, trying to keep up with the pace of his heart. My own, not much calmer.

I bit my lip, confused by my own response just then. Everything felt so good, so honest. The minute Eli pulled away from me I could feel myself wanting nothing more than to pull him back. I closed my eyes, pulling the covers up over my body, in an attempt to hide right then. Something inside of me was ashamed, but I don't know why. I wanted Eli; I wanted nothing more than for him to hold me closer, to run his hands over every inch of my body, and his lips to never leave mine.

"I want to," I tried to convince him. "I just, I don't know." Eli grabbed my hand under the covers. "Clare, it's ok. I don't ever want you to feel guilty when you want us to stop."

I wished his words had felt as comforting as they were meant for. But something inside me still felt like there was more to it. Why had I stopped? I had been thinking, contemplating having sex with Eli for quite some time now. I was ready. I need to explain this all too him. I just hoped that I could find the words.

I felt my purity ring with my middle finger, and pulled my hand up from under the covers. I pulled my hand out of Eli's and took the tiny ring off, holding it in my opposite hand.

I knew Eli could see what I was doing, as I playing with the tiny band. I held it up as I spoke. "You know what this ring stands for?" I asked. More to myself than him. "It means True love waits."

I continued to play with the ring, twirling it around and around. "I don't know what I am waiting for," I began, "how do you know if true love exists, or if it is really there." I continued on with my monologue, talking to myself, as Eli sat there, hanging on to my every word. "I have no idea if I will feel the way I do about us in a year, or five or thirty, but I know that right now, in this time in my life, that I believe that what you and I have Eli, this is true love."

I heard Eli swallow, as his eyes were now fixated on the tiny ring, as both of us contemplated what I had just said. I meant every word of it, I just needed to say it out loud. Eli was the right person for me, right now, and that was all that mattered.

I stopped for a moment, and looked at the ring once more before holding it out to Eli. At first he didn't move, as my name escaped his lips. I turned on my side now, and dropped the ring into Eli's hand. "I want you to have this Eli," I swollowed, "I want you to have me."

I could see him staring at the ring in his hand, not sure of what to do with it. He knew what I meant when I had given it to him. Perhaps he was not as prepared for this moment as I assumed he would be.

He turned to his side too, placing his hand upon my face, peering deep into my eyes, as if he was searching for something behind them.

"Clare, only if you are sure you want to," He spoke sternly, not once blinking as he held my stare.

I didn't move or blink either, realizing this was my final chance to change my mind. I searched my thoughts and my heart for something to convince me otherwise, but every inch of my body was ready. Ready to finally be with Eli completely and to share with him something that I had been waiting to share with him for longer than even I had realized.

I placed my hands over his, and pulled his face into mine locking our lips once again. He kissed me back, attentively, but I could feel the quiet hesitation behind them.

I drew my body closer to him, letting the gap between us disappear. I felt every inch of him next to me, and allowed the sensation to control my impulses. I reached in between us, grabbing his shirt and slowly began to pull it up, until finally Eli had to remove his hands from my face to allow me to pull it up over his head. I placed a hand onto his bare chest and allowed my heart to race with the touch; his own heart was speeding towards me as well.

The caution Eli had show, slowly began to dissolve away, as desire and need over took him. He pulled me closer to him, but it still didn't feel close enough. He began to pull on my own shirt, gently yanking it up over my head. I felt his bare chest against my own, and the skin to skin connection did wonders for my arousal. Our kisses intensified as it felt as if his room was now on fire, the heat in between us was building and as much as I was terrified of it, I felt myself wanting to go deeper into the unknown.

Eli again crawled on top of me, and let his hands trace my body. I too traced his, feeling every inch of him and committing it to memory.

It wasn't long before I realized that I had been so caught up in the moment, feelings the kisses that we were both naked, our two bodies tangled into each other, fire burning between us, with only one way to put it out. Eli tried to catch his breath as he looked at me, stopping all movements, before proceeding. I knew what his eyes were asking, and I nodded for reassurance. Truth be told, I felt as if every second we sat there not proceeding was torture, and I wanted nothing more than for a different feeling to replace it.

Eli leaned over a little to his side of the bed, and pulled open the top drawer of his desk, I heard the condom open, and gave Eli a moment to put it on.

This was it, I prepared myself.

There was no turning back now.

As Eli positioned himself on top of me again, I felt him move his hands along my thighs, drawing them up and apart. I held onto his hips as slowly, ever so slowly Eli guided himself into me. It felt tight and uncomfortable, and Eli and I stayed silent as he slowly worked his way into me, little by little, each thrust getting a little deeper, though none the less painful.

I was dismissed at first by the discomfort, wondering if I was really ready for, this. It was not so intense where I felt a need to pull away, so I continued to let it happen. Eli brought his face back up to mine, pressing his lips firmly against mine, as I felt him rock back and forth, slow and deliberate. I held onto him, letting myself focus on his chest, his hips and his mouth to distract me form the pain. It was a lovely distraction and with time the pain lessoned and the sensation I had been feeling just a few minutes earlier returned.

I felt my own hips begin to rock, as Eli was able to now reach deep inside of me. His breathing was rapid to match mine, and little moans quietly escaped my mouth. I had no idea where this was coming from and had never felt like this before. It was exciting and amazing, and I was delighted to see Eli seeming to be enjoying it as much as I was.

His hands moved with as much intensity as his hips, making sure no inch of me had not been examined. His lips traced my neck, my chin, my collarbone, my breast and even my stomach. I had never seen Eli like this, and it only made the sensations running through my body blaze faster. I felt an overwhelming feeling building and I felt myself reaching for it, working harder and faster to grasp it, it felt just inches within my reach.

I exhaled Eli's name as with a single thrust everything seemed to come together. I stopped all movement in my hips, and dug my fingers into Eli's back bringing him closer to me. He thrust a few more times until his own body became still before collapsing into my arms.

We stayed like that for a few moments, before Eli gently pulled out and rolled over on to his side of the bed, our bodies still trying to catch up with the marathon our blood was racing through our veins.

Eli curled into me, and placed a single kiss upon my forehead. "I'll be right back," he said, as he quickly got up, and left me alone in his bed. I laid there trying to process what had just occurred.

So, I thought to myself, that was sex.

I saw a light go off across the hall as Eli joined me again in the bed. He wrapped me in his arms and pulled me close to him. I did not care that our two bodies were covered in sweat or that by now all my make-up had disappeared and my hair was in tangles against the pillow. All that mattered was that I was in Eli's arms, and right then I knew there was no where I would rather be. I had never been so thankful for bad weather.

I was woken up by a knock on the door, as I felt a coolness come over me as Eli pulled away from me. I saw him get up and pull his sweatpants on, the ones a few hours ago he had handed to me. He walked over to his door, opening it only slightly.

I could hear his mother on the other side. "The roads have been cleared if you want to take Clare home soon."

Eli mumbled something to his mother before shutting the door and running back onto bed to join me. I giggled as he wrapped me back into his arms.

"Clare," he joked, "you are so warm, warm me up!"

I giggled and turned to face him, pulling him into my chest, pretending to warm him up. He looked into my eyes and the smile from his face grew bigger. I couldn't help but mirror his expression in mine.

"So," he said, "How do you feel?"

I continued looking at him, thinking that question through in my head. I was sore, and sticky, and even a little tired still, but mostly I was happy. I felt closer to Eli, physically and emotionally, and I loved it.

"Thank you, "I said, "I feel perfect."

Eli drew me into a hug and sighed, "I don't want to ever let you go."

I laughed to myself. "I think my parents might fight you on that."

He pulled away from me and sat up, and I positioned myself next to him.

I looked over at his desk, where my ring sat, next an empty wrapper. Eli noticed my stare and took the ring and held it out to me.

"Do you want this back?" he asked. I looked at him puzzled. Why would I want it back? We had had sex last night. I was no longer a virgin, something that ring was meant to represent.

"No," I said, "I gave it to you."

He looked at me strangely. "But Clare, your parents, everyone at school."

I had never thought about that. My parents would surely notice my ring was missing, and you can't change your hair style at school without everyone talking. I was not ready for everyone to know about Eli and me. It was none of their business after all.

"Maybe," I started, "I should keep it, for now." I looked at it, and realized something.

"Perhaps it could stand for something else, between us now," I said.

Eli looked at me oddly. "Maybe instead of meaning true love waits, it could mean true love exist."

Eli smiled at me and nodded his head. "I like it." He said, taking the ring and placing it back onto my finger.

I felt goose bumps form on my neck when he did that, and I could see his own cheeks blush at the gesture. He pulled me into him, and drew his mouth to my ear.

"I don't care if you ever take off this ring," he whispered, "I will never forget last night, and how honored I am that you shared it with me." I shivered as his breath met my face. "I love you Clare Edwards that will never change." As I pulled Eli in tighter somewhere deep inside of me knew he was right.


End file.
